Ricky Jay - Sword of Vengeance - Amazing Trick!

Ricky is a great magician and a great raconteur. Here he performs an amazing trick while telling a story from Japanese cinema.

[@1blackone]

He tells a story about the illusion of a choice given to someone while he gives the illusion of choice to his audience. So much more than just a "magic trick"

[@ricardorodriguez5549]

A showman for the ages

[@hxhdfjifzirstc894]

Good point.

[@F3YAW]

Rickey is an unrivaled illusionist, historian, and entertainer. He is a gift that just keeps on giving.

[@808INFantry11X]

I love his use of history as a way of creating an effective illusion with good story telling that captures the audiences attention.

[@PrestyGomez]

If you think that this video is only about a trick, then you're missing 90% of the genius of Ricky Jay.

[@miamimagicians]

Genius performer

[@thomasgrabowski2202]

you're right. He's incredible. What a genius. O_O !!!!! :O !!!!!

[@ricardorodriguez5549]

A master storyteller

[@omardelmar]

Lovely lovely hands

[@mattjindrak]

Whut ya mean?

[@CardsharpChris]

Man, I miss Ricky Jay. Thank God we still have all of these great videos of him. Thank you for posting.

[@BigAl6405]

When I was little, my father was famous. He was the greatest samurai in the empire. And he was the shogun's decapitator...

[@deomartinez77]

Great Patter to a simple force trick. Well done Ricky. I love it when a trick is performed well. As a magician who knows how these things are done, the execution of the magic is everything for me.

[@musicandcoffee2853]

The master of sleight of hand, card manipulation, and all things magic. He is dearly missed 🌹

[@CB-xr1eg]

sleight*

[@musicandcoffee2853]

Clive Bindley Good call 👍

[@jameswoods2553]

i felt like i was watching a scene from a tarantino film

[@YaoEspirito]

And considering Tarantino's not in it. If this was his film, he'd be in the scene, cussing and bloviating.

[@cryohellinc]

If that was the case, other guy would have shot him. :p

[@vshazam]

Or Paul Thomas Anderson. Ricky Jay has even been in a few of his movies.

[@miamimagicians]

He's really good RIP

[@Valkonnen]

Please know that he is talking about scenes from and actual series of films. These films ARE some of what Tarantino was inspired by for "Kill Bill" and others. I'm sure that people who don't realize it, would think that he just was coming up with some weird story.

[@starofjustice1]

How he keeps them enthralled with his palaver is indeed the mark of a master. You hardly even notice how he confuses the title of the movie with the title of the film series. Truly this is Ricky at the top of his game.

[@logandarklighter]

The trick itself is really cool, but I really couldn't care less how it's actually done. That's not the real point here. The real enjoyment I get out of this video is just listening to Ricky's **storytelling** and his "patter". The man is a true artist who can "hold a room" seemingly effortlessly. He's fascinating to just LISTEN to. ^_^

[@Maranatha1968]

This is an easy Trick! Did you not figure out?? I did.

[@psd9850]

No, that's the whole point. The more a magician talks, the lesser you should listen!

[@davidvanbogelen]

R.I.P. king of all slight of hand

[@CB-xr1eg]

Or " sleight " maybe?

[@CB-xr1eg]

I felt there was a lot of misdirection going on here, with the things he had in his " wallet ".

[@mumdangerous]

Of course he's a fan of Lone Wolf and Cub. Ricky Jay was literally the best.

[@jodyb1095]

Ricky Jay was such an incredible master. Forget all about his skill in manipulating cards. He manages to take all the drama and tension from a classic samurai film and he transposes it onto the simple act of picking cards. Anyone who can make picking a card feel like making a life or death choice is a true magician.

[@kyletwebster]

Too good. Brand new deck, sealed in plastic, and he proves there are no dupes by spreading the pack at the end of the performance. People guessing at his TP addition, etc. are likely not on the right path here. This is such a wonderful piece of mystery and storytelling. R.I.P., Mr. Jay.

[@J_GoTTi]

I wish so bad I could’ve bared witness to Ricky’s greatness in person…

[@richardrejmer8721]

Near the start, when he 'pretends' to write Japanese characters, he is actually writing the name of the card - the 2 of Clubs, but when you do see that piece of paper or card, he has turned it over to only show Japanese characters, which were always written on it before the trick started. 1:56 . .As he removes his hand from his jacket, he has palmed the 2 of Clubs. . .then he puts it on the top of the deck. Every move he makes after that, as he fans the cards across the table and asks the participants to remove cards. . The 2 of Clubs remains on the top. . (watch it closely). . Each time, the top card is swept AWAY from the participant, and he asks them to remove cards that are on the end that is near them. . NOT the 2 of Clubs, which is at the other end of the fanned cards. THEN, when he has it down to 4 cards, he asks her to put her hands on 2 cards. . This is the classic "Force" move in card tricks. . If one of the cards she puts a hand on was the 2 of Clubs, he would have got her to keep those cards that she selected on the table and ask her to discard the rest. But, because she doesn't put her hand on the 2 of Clubs, he gets her to remove those cards under her hands and keep the last two on the table, and we know that the 2 of Clubs is one of them. The same for the next 'choice'. . . Each time, there is no 'choice', because he hasn't said he is going to keep or discard what you have selected before he asks them to make a choice, he is 'forcing' the result and only leaving behind the card he wants. No matter what cards they choose, the 2 of Clubs will always be the last remaining card. Then it ties in with the 'reveal' of the writing prepared earlier. . .

[@1962lloydy]

you are wrong in all of you skillfull observations and your hearing may be a little off as well , at 5.55 the two of HEARTS is clearly heard and the card is on the table is the two of hearts and its written clearly on the card and its a red card .so force,missdirect with pointing and story telling,palming, is to be expected oh i forgot a sumi brush pen is a brush but you think he pretending to draw kangi and has no intrest in japanese culture or correct pronunciation of the language and the nine times you wrote the 2 of Clubs show us all never to invite you to be a witness in a court of law as names change and the color , this is the CLASSIC i meant the 2 of hearts!!!! ------- honest i did oh fu#k

[@bskee001]

Actually you are both wrong, this was...magic!

[@JorshWarshington1]

Thank you, mysterious stranger!

[@professormancaptain4210]

Ricky can pull all 4 of the same card out while not looking. What he does is skill, and has a full performance explaining such. Watch anything he does, and see its not trickery. This was card control

[@bskee001]

professormancaptain Yes, he was one of the greatest and actually got me into throwing cards when I was younger.

[@gasser5001]

the reason ricky is one of the best is because he does it so effortlessly. hes got decades of practice. hes a word master on top of it. he can dazzle you with his speech while controlling every aspect of the deck, he is a true showman

[@seahawks1185]

He can articulate words just as good as he articulates the cards. He should of been in way more movies.

[@viertelasiat]

Two things I definitely noticed/think, not sure if they are the keys to the trick but anyways: 1. When he spreads the deck back and forth for them to remove some he spreads the opposite way allowing the top cards to continuously stay unremoved. 2. When he has the contestant left with a few cards at the end, he could easily change what he tells her to do with the chosen cards depending on which card he wants to end up with (i.e. discard or use only those) so if he knows which card the two of hearts already is he can work towards that as the end result.

[@xSpiromaticSx]

Clue, the card was never in the deck to begin with. Now you should know the trick.

[@bjorn_moren]

@@xSpiromaticSx This part was masterfully done. He probably picked up the extra card while he was putting his wallet back, concealed it in his hand, then placed it on top of the deck a few seconds later. I can't see any other time he could have done it.

[@franklafortune1345]

Lone wolf & cub! OMG RICKY JAY IS GOAT!

[@axedaddyx]

Beautiful! RJ is a Samurai of the cards for certain...and I love that Japanese film!

[@ZGBrickfilms]

I absolutely loved this routine so much! And the subtitles joke was so funny!

[@charvelgtrs]

The movie he speaks about was a huge inspiration to Mandalorian.

[@kevinhughey3470]

Great storyteller one of the best ever!!!

[@realeques]

i love the pause after he sais " it IS the 2 of hearts"

[@JohnSmith-wr6rr]

OMG...the technique is like what kids will do in primary school...But the way this Genius presents it makes it look nothing short of miracle..I mean if it wasn't on YT where I can pause and repeat to and from any point I for one would have been as surprised as the helpers...Wow... Salutes to the storytelling and presentation skills of Ricky Jay

[@komninosm]

the illusion of choice... it's like a cold reading in a way.

[@guitarplayerfactorychannel]

but he doesn't even touch the cards!?!?!!?!?$$$

[@DavidJayCovington]

He puts the 2H on the opposite side of the person who is pulling the cards out to trash. Toward the end, if she pulls two cards, he can tell her to trash them or tell her to keep them friending on whether she chose the 2H (he knows where it is). Illusion of choice.

[@ralphfurley123]

I was spellbound and thoroughly entertained!!! The only time I’ve ever seen Mr. Jay was in the movie, Heist! Never knew he was more than an actor! Thanks for sharing! ☮️🖖🏽

[@IBetNoOneHasThisUser]

This is such an easy trick done in such an amazing way... just wow...

[@maxmalini8778]

My thoughts on the video and the effect performed: First of all,remarkable up close magic. Ricky uses so much subtleties in this effect(and every other one) to fool you so badly that you go away thinking"I know absolutely nothing about magic". His handling of the cards is just amazing(no superlative invented can be used to describe his card handling). The effect is so simple,but Ricky used so much "make-up" to conceal any "anomalies" that would have been executed by other magicians while performing this effect. In fact, this is one of the reasons that explains why Jay doesn't do lectures or explain his effects; he wouldn't be proud when seeing other magician perform his effect with number of anomalies(they can do the trick as performed here but this would reflect Ricky's style, not the performer's that does the Jay effect). In terms of style, Ricky is original. The effect performed herein is: a prediction written on a piece of paper and then you select a card and the card you selected is the one written on the piece of paper. Tons of methods can achieve the same effect, but this one far surpasses them all. If Ricky (ever) publishes a book explaining his effects, magicians will go crazy and will spend thousands of dollars just to have a book which has original effects invented by Jay and versions of some classics (McDonald's Aces, Cups and Balls etc...). But, as I already states, this won't happen at all since Ricky "is still learning the art of magic" and wouldn't like to do something that isn't close to his heart.

[@SatinFoxx]

love the movies, love the trick,thanks for the upload

[@miketheresonator]

Egads, that is the perfect video to show "how" to do a card trick! His banter (i.e., distraction) was killing me, that is the best part. Loved your movies Ricky and your magic is cool too.

[@aaronwalderslade]

Shogun Assassin is a wonderful movie. One of my all time favourites.

[@aisukurimusandoichi]

No no sorry that sounded bad, I just meant from a magicians point of view it's not an especially difficult trick to perform, the hardest bit is keeping the people engrossed in the story. It is quite loosely linked, but there are a few variations on it. I particularly like this version though just because I find Jay so entertaining to watch, I admire his persona above any other magician I think. Didn't mean to offend! ^^

[@qick07]

ahh the illusion of free choice!!!

[@Maranatha1968]

Common, you have no idea! 🤣

[@JoRon73]

Great trick. He uses the card forces in such a clean way.

[@ArrogantAtheism]

Who cares about how easy a trick is, he has AMAZING showmanship, and he took a fundamentally easy trick, and turned it into a small miracle

[@ketanshelke9261]

Morning Brew Light Roast brought me here...

[@DrMonkeymint]

@When there are six cards left, he specifically tells the woman to take a "couple" cards. So she took two. He then tells her to put her hands on two cards. If she had, by chance, put one of her hands on the third card, he would have told her to keep that card there and push another aside. If not, he gets rid of both the cards she put her hands on. Either way, he's left with the third card plus another card. Then, the same thing for the last move. Thus, he is left with the third card.

[@rcu6]

Scanning through the comments, I feel like I was the only one who got excited because I recognized the story from 4th Chamber.

[@thomasbellotti1879]

@Rocky Butler Nope, it took me a while but later in the video it finally clicked for me. Haven't seen the movie but I was like "he's totally talking about the movie that the GZA used for a song intro on liquid swords isn't it?" Good taste, Rocky Butler, that album is incredible. Cheers

[@eddiemo2748]

Thank you Ricky for being amazing RIP

[@pebur4292]

This trick is so genius ! Spread to one side, remove cards, spread to the other side, remove cards... It really got me smyling.

[@michaelbobic7135]

That's wonderful!

[@16777215]

honestly, this trick is simple, there's nothing to doubt about it. however there are still some people who speaks like they know a lot about magic but still reveal the wrong answer. he really did nothing to change the order of deck. in a simple way to explain is...he is using one marked card and force them to choose it. that's it. But as "BasterdW" said, doing a trick is simple, doing a trick with a great presentation is a whole different story. ricky jay is really a great magician.

[@supreme_caio8354]

yoooo that was awesome! amazing! true artist

[@Miketheman2992]

Phew, I'm glad cause I hate wasting time arguing on KZbin. And yea, I think that's the reason I like this trick so much. He's one of the only magicians I enjoy too much to worry about the "how to" of the trick. He's a magicians magician to be sure.

[@DeckDudes]

This is absolutely fabulous, the presentation actually made sense in the context without it being absurd, something few magicians can manage, and it functions as perfect time misdirection. Furthermore whilst everyone is saying they've worked it out i'm at a loss to see how he got the card into position initially. Pure art.

[@MrSparkula]

Gonna miss that guy. Deceptive Practice is a must watch.

[@vegasjay2326]

The photography of the film was excellent here.

[@Metricus]

It took me a few times, but I finally figured it out. Even so, still a great trick, and even vetter performance.

[@presbarkeep]

This man is a true wizard and master of the elemental forces of nature.

[@usmctanks1]

How did he do this!!!! Amazing video, and he tells a great story!!

[@gerbarista]

the trick is super easy to do. amazing idea!!

[@DocFrobnitz]

He palms the card in his right hand when he puts his wallet away, and while he's talking and 'fidgeting' with the cards his left thumb slides the top two cards over to his left. He then drops the card in the third position and slides the top cards over to the right, almost the same principle as an Erdnase change. Then observe at 3:47-3:52, when the deck gets small enough that he needs to worry about the card being swept away... he stacks the top 3 cards as one so she can't take the 2oH without taking the whole deck. (But knowing how something is done and being able to do that thing are very different propositions. Most of Ricky Jay's technique doesn't involves the cards at all, he seems to be incapable of *not* misdirecting his audiences.)

[@Godfather_Al]

lol at the end he says, "...and it IS the two of hearts" and got no reaction, then remembers he hasn't shown them the 'prediction' yet

[@droidx1191]

Some of the best "equivoque" ever

[@hanzo138]

Ricky Jay is awesome!

[@theoblivious]

@yates2718 @Vanguard448 It's called a magician's chatter. It's a key to most magicians' acts, although there are a few who pull off the silent illusion very well. But not most. (In fact, chatter is considered a skillset all to itself.)

[@westonlittle8001]

It is always possible... Ricky is a great slight of hand artist.

[@MegaKilldeer]

Ricky Jay The master of illusion 👏

[@Metricus]

The secret to figuring out this trick is not thinking about it too hard.

[@gluefoot]

Berniekid's absolutely right. I don't know how this was actually done. However, I do note there's a (great) pass at 2:04. So probably the 2H is a short card so it can be found without looking. Then it's controlled to second to the top, and the trick proceeds as Bernie noted.

[@someman7]

@DrMonkeymint Great! So now we know how he got it out from the top. I know how he kept it on top, and all we need is to find out is how he first put it on the top. The way he kept it on the top (in case you're interested) is pretty simple: By spreading cards exactly so the top would always be away from whomever took "a bunch" of cards (you'll notice he always spreads them from the person who needs to take the card to the other one).

[@JustCallMeLoathesome]

Here's what I'm tripping on: Ricky doesn't so much as touch the deck before writing the prediction. He goes to his pocket a few times while the spectators are shuffling, but his hands are open afterward, with no card palmed. His hands are above the table at all times, and he does a little peek at 3:50, but how does he know what card to predict WHILE the people are shuffling the cards?

[@davidshareefChTPhD]

Learn how to shut the fuck up!

[@Zolkz1Zneew]

@nblaze111 idk how he gets the card on the top but he could prolly just had it in his hand all along and just stealhy placed it there when he spreads the card. and when he spreads he always have the top card away from the person removing cards, so the top card is never removed. and when its 4 cards left she places her hands on 2 cards, if she placed her hand on the right card he says *keep those card* or discard those card if she didnt. same with the last 2, gimme that card, or discard that card

[@UltimateMadWorld]

Ricky also appeared in the Bond film, Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) playing the role as Henry Gupta who was the mastermind behind the little red box that is the Royal Navy's fleet encoder that can render a ship off coarse such as the HMS Devonshire if it has been tinkered with! Staring alongside Pierce Brosnan (007) and Jonathan Pryce as the power mad media mogul Elliot Carver & his wife Paris played by Teri Hatcher to name a few!

[@andrewburgemeister6684]

Ricky was also in a couple of other pretty notable films, including two Paul Thomas Anderson films Boogie Nights (1997), where he played Kurt Longjohn the camera man working on Jack Horner’s (Burt Reynolds) “exotic pictures”, and Magnolia (1999) where he did the opening narration and had a minor role playing Burt Ramsey a TV producer working on the game show “What Do Kids Know?” hosted by Jimmy Gator (Phillip Baker Hall). He was also in Christopher Nolan’s magic drama The Prestige (2006) where he played the character Milton the magician Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) are assistants to when Angier’s wife dies due to the wrong knot being tied. Literally had no idea that he was a famous magician until I stumbled across his card manipulation videos by chance.

[@ZacVrono]

i love the mentalism here of using the stoey to destract them i know how the trick works so im ganna go try it. YES i finnaly figured out one of ricky jay's tricks :)

[@peterhegedus]

Sensational!!!

[@ShmexyNinja]

@Joelalati I thought you had the right idea, but at the end the top card isn't chosen its the card 3rd from the top

[@benben829]

I think while we were all listening to his story, he did some crazy crap we would never notice unless we put all focus into cards.

[@ag15ui11na19ldo80]

this is really impressive....too good to be a trick

[@zemitoqdemige]

I think I know how this is done...Somehow, he manages to put the 2 of hearts on top off all the cards. Then he makes his spectators take card from the BOTTOM of the pack, thus leaving the uppermost cards. Then, when he gives you a "choice", but it doesn't matter which one you pick - if you pick the 2 of hearts, he'll show it tho you, if you pick the other, he'll make you discard it...

[@Zen876]

That was a very long way to do that trick but I loved it. If I didn't know how to do it I would b very impressed.

[@markemerson98]

until i saw this routine i never even heard of Ricky Jay - now im hooked - genius - does anyone know of any books tipping this routine or his poker routines? much appreciated - thanks for posting

[@FlockofSmeagles]

Literally the use of "wax on, wax off" in this method. I love the irony :D

[@101perspective]

The trick is one that is extremely simple to figure out. However, he does such a great job of presentation.

[@magicfingersmagic]

I can't see any 2 of hearts being palmed. And secondly it can't be placed on top since he takes the second card

[@quartzimaging]

yep. very simple trick. still effective

[@CB-xr1eg]

@@quartzimaging Explain it to all us dummies will you?

[@quartzimaging]

@@CB-xr1eg I would but that would ruin the trick, don't you think? Here's a hint: the trick is virtually complete at 1:59

[@fandude7]

Amazing.

[@chrisboiler8965]

3:25 "right" - what i say when I have no clue wtf is going on

[@jeleuri]

@coloneljade at the end , the woman can choose any of the two cards left, obviously they weren't two cards of 2 of hearts.

[@hanzo138]

It has a few names here in the US. Sword of Vengence, Lone Wolf and Cub, and Shogun Assassin.

[@ntee300]

Wow, this story is told on one of the intro's for a Wu tang clan song.

[@andreamasi5840]

Liquid swords

[@PastorPeewee20]

cool I wish I could learn this one

[@hypnosis121]

I took a look in the dictionary I have. Under "Skill", it says, "see Rick Jay", and under "raconteur" it says, see "skill"... Astounding.

[@makeris32]

2of hearts was about on the top of the deck. As u can see he srpeads the cards out to the same direction and tell them to take some ,so top cards are always remaining.When he leaves 4 cards is easy.You can manipulate their choice by taking out or leaving in the cards they chose

[@Ojb_1959]

Floored me 👌

[@tumadoireacht]

ricky jay has a lovely hypnotic patter like alec elmsley

[@CaptainBeaverino]

It's amazing how many people watch magic videos and call them fake.... OF COURSE THEY'RE FAKE! IT'S MAGIC! CAPSLOCK RAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@jegveddetik]

The last four cards is two of hearts.

[@Senestery]

wow.. elaborate story...

[@mostrovolante]

great Ricky

[@JustSomeCanadianGuy]

On a side note Lone Wolf and Cub which is the movie he’s talking about and it kicks ass! 😁

[@DavidJayCovington]

He puts the 2H on the opposite side of the person who is pulling the cards out to trash. Toward the end, if she pulls two cards, he can tell her to trash them or tell her to keep them depending on whether she chose the 2H (he knows where it is). Illusion of choice.

[@fortinbras47]

He flipped all the cards over at the end so there couldn't be more than one two of hearts. I think the key though is that once he gets to the last 4, he tells her what to do with them AFTER she picks them, not before. He knows which one it is.

[@PlanetRockJesus]

He's amazing. And who tops Ricky's patter?

[@aisukurimusandoichi]

The Ogami Itto story is true, and there really are 6 movies based on him. Its just banter added to the trick, which in itself isn't all that impressive. That's what makes Jay so good though, he's got such a great banter

[@TJvigilante]

Might want to explain why instead of just tossing a bombshell out there. When he came down to the last four cards it was the person's choice of which ones to take away, not just the ones closest to her like the earlier eliminations. Why do you think he's got the card to show? It's a sleight if hand trick to get playing cards into his hand to plant in the deck.

[@C94Slim]

@had3l and also at 2:32 and 2:55 he makes sure that those same 4 cards are on the top while the other people take away parts of the decks(the tail ends of the deck) not the top =]

[@Klaas_L]

Who want's to know how this trick is done? It actually is quite an easy trick but the way he does the trick is really cool. i mean the story and all. I won't put the explenation out here, but if you really want to know, pm me.

[@aisukurimusandoichi]

nope no plant... the end of this trick changes depending on the choices, but this particular capture of it just by coincidence makes it look all the more impressive. Ricky Jay has never used plants or gimmicks, he's famous in magic circles for it.

[@deadmanavir]

If u like tricks and didn't figure this one out , let me know , thats so freaking easy